Means for identifying x-ray photographs



June 7, 1938. T. s. BUCKLEY MEANS FOR IDENTIFYING X-RAY PHOTOGRAPHS Filed May 24,1955

I IN VENTOR Ema/Z a law/(( v" ATTORNEY Patented June 7, 1938 MEANS FOR IDENTIFYINGX-RAY PHo'ro- GRAPHS- Timothy 8. Buckley, Jackson Heights, N. Y. Application May 24, 1935, Serial No. 23,175

1 Claim.

of the patient or subject shown in a photograph is important, and any method that is not selfidentifying can be challenged by showing the possibility of error.

The object of this invention is to provide a practical, convenient method and means whereby the identity of the subject shown in an X-ray photograph can be established from the photograph itself. It consists in general of photographing on the negative a manually traced inscription, such as a specimen of the handwriting of the subject, preferably his signature.

It is convenient to make the inscription on a small piece of sheet material, producing what may be referred to as a plaque. The plaque may be placed on the film casein the most appropriate position during exposure, depending upon the part of the body that is photographed. Proof that the inscription and the subject were simultaneously photographed may be provided by 10- cating the inscription so that it overlaps a portion of the subjects anatomy that is not important to the purpose of the photograph.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. l. is a face view of the upper part of a case carrying a negative, with a plaque and part of a hand in position for X-ray photographing;

Fig. 2 is a face view of a plaque bearing the excised inscription, partly broken away; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section on line 33 of Fig. 2.

The case 9 of the ordinary type contains the usual negative 55, over which are located the upper portions 5 I of the fingers of a human hand. The plaque is illustrated in detail in Figs. 2 and 3 in which a card 59 is coated with impermeable material 2 covered with a sheet of yieldable material 2!, so'constituted that pressure on the cover sheet 2 I, as by writing thereon with a suitable stylus, will produce depressed lines 22 in which the impermeable material 2!] is forced out laterally between the cover sheet 2! and the backing card !9.

In carrying out the process where a plaqueis used, any suitable permeable sheet material may be used, such as cardboard, permeable sheet metal, and the like. In this connection it should be understood that the words permeable and impermeable refer to the ability of the material to resist the penetration of X-rays, and are to some extent relative. Material is considered impermeable when under given conditions of eX- posure it will resist the passage of the rays sufli- 1 ciently to provide a legible contrast with adjacent permeable material on the negative.

The method facilitates the use of a thick layer of impermeable material, and is therefore especially suitable where prolonged exposure to the rays is necessary. It also permits a somewhat more convenient method of writing. A backing sheet of permeable material i9 is used, and the coating 20 may be of any desired impermeable material. Lead or lead salts are the most effective substances now known, and may be applied in various ways, in sheet form, or by dusting them upon an adhesive which is spread on the backing sheet IS. A more convenient method, however, is to employ a lead compound made up to a thick paste, such as white lead in any of the usual vehicles, spread evenly on the sheet IS.

The inscription may be excised in the sheet 20 V of impervious material with a stylus. For convenience the word excised is used to mean not only the complete removal of material but also its removal from the inscription lines by forcing it'laterally to leave a permanent space. The plasticity of the material in. sheet 2E] must, of course, be such that it can be thus excised, and will remain out of the inscription during exposure; and material that can be pushed or pressed out of the signature lines during writing is considered plastic for the purposes of this invention.

There are certain advantages in covering the sheet 29 of plastic material, among them being convenience in handling plaques made up in advance, and avoidance of distorted lines due to adhesion of the material to the stylus or uneven displacement of the material. The cover sheet 2i must be permeable, and should be sufficiently flexible to permit pressure of the stylus to displace the material in sheet Zflalong the lines in which the stylus travels on cover sheet 2| during writing. Tough, flexible materials such as Cellophane, or other regenerated cellulosic materials, are suitable, particularly when the back sheet l9 and cover sheet 2| are translucent; for with this arrangement the plaque can be inspected to see whether proper pressure on the stylus has been used by holding the plaque to the light; and where necessary, portions can readily be retraced. Plaques of this type can be made with an impermeable sheet 20 sufiiciently thick to produce a clear inscription even under the most prolonged exposure that is encountered in actual use.

While the invention is especially :adapted to 10 present practice in making X-ray photographs,

certain'features are also applicable to similar the invention applies equally to any type of picture made by penetrative rays according to this invention.

I claim:

A removable identification plaque for marking an. X-ray negative, said plaque. comprising a backing sheet permeable to X-rays, an intermediate layer of plastic material impermeable to X-rays, and a flexible smooth-surfaced cover sheet permeable to X-rays and depressible under scribing pressure into the plastic. layer to form therein depressions wherein said plastic layer is rendered permeable to X-rays to produce the demarking on the egative.

sired photographic V TIMOTHY S. BUCKLEY. 

